The silent shadows brightest light.
The dim light of the rising sun had just begun to flow in through the cracks in the curtains as Tojima zipped up his cloak. Annalina entered the room with a smile on her face as she hummed. "Goodmorning" she said almost singing. "Goodmorning" Tojima said. Annalina sat down at the kitchen table followed close behind by Tojima who sat across from her. " What is planned for today?" he asked. Annalina thought for a moment. "Hmm" she said. "I have work at the guild until about five, after that I'm free" She said. "I have no intention of taking a job today so I will perhaps do some house work then head down to the guild for awhile, what do you want for dinner tonight?" he asked. Annalinas face brightened "Is it a date?" she asked. Tojima was confused by her question. "Hmm?, a date?" he asked. "It's nothing, I'm only joking" she said. She looked down at her watch. "Wow, I need to get going" she said throwing on her coat quickly. "Love you!" she yelled running out the door. Tojima sat there for a few moments. "A date?" he thought. Tis thought continued to echo in his head as he did the dishes. He finally came to the decision that he, in fact, knew nothing about how to go about a date. "Perhaps the guilds library will wield clues to the solution to my problem" he thought putting on his mask and heading out toward the guild. Tojima spent the next several hours searching through the guilds library finding few answers to his many questions and none at all to his main question of "what is a date". He placed the book he the book he was reading back on shelf giving a defeated sigh. He had no idea that searching for an answer would be this hard. He had never encountered a question that he could not find an answer to. He was sure that if he continued his search he would eventually find the answer but time was not his ally in this situation. He thought that he might perhaps ask one of the female guild members. Luckily, Nova was passing by. "Excuse me but may I ask you a question?" Tojima asked. "Huh?, oh, sure Tojima" she said. "How does one go about a date?" he asked. Nova seemed caught off guard by the question. "Oh, you want to take Annalina out on a date?" she asked. Tojima nodded. "Hm... well, you could take her out to dinner or something like that is good for a first date" Nova said. Tojima nodded " but what does one do on a date?" he asked. "Well, just kinda hang out I guess" She said. Tojima bowed slightly "thank you for your help" he said. "It's no problem, really" she said. "You two have fun" she said walking away. Tojima looked at the time "perhaps I should visit Annalina, she must be hungry. She forgot her lunch this morning" he thought. After picking up something he made his way down to her office. Her door was open. She sat at her desk with a serious look on her face as she filled out some paperwork. Tojima knocked softly on the open door. She looked up. Her face brightened when she saw him "Tojima!" she said excitedly. "I brought you lunch, I thought you might be hungry" he said. Her stomach growled loudly she blushed somewhat embarrassed. She laughed awkwardly. "Yeah a bit, I ran out without grabbing something" she said. Tojima sat across from her, taking off his mask before sitting the plastic wrapped sandwich on the desk. She smiled. "Thanks" she said. "How has your day been so far?" he asked. "Good" she responded between bites. She swallowed before wiping her mouth and saying "pretty slow, which is good of course. It means no one is getting hurt" She said. Tojima nodded. "Yes, that is very good" he said. They sat in silence for a few moments before Tojima spoke up. "I have been thinking...about this date that you spoke of this morning" he said. She smiled holding up a hand "I was only joking you don't have to bother yourself with my morning ramblings" she said. "But that is just it, I would like to have a date with you" he said. Annalinas smile faded seeing the serious look on his face. "I would like to do as normal couples do. I would like to make you happy, you deserve that much at least" he said. A soft smile formed on her face "Tojima, you do make me happy. The fact that you're trying so hard right now is more than enough for me" she said. She looked at her watch "I'm sorry honey but I've gotta cut our lunch date short. I have to head into town to restock on medicine and a few other things" she said getting up. She kissed his cheek before leaving. Tojima sat there for a few moments. He wondered why she had called what they had just done a date. They hadn't gone anywhere or done anything special as Nova had earlier suggested. An idea came to mind and he believed that he now understood how to go about their date. By the time Annalina had gathered the supplies from the market, came back, and put everything where it belonged it was six o'clock. She sighed looking at the clock. " I'm sure Tojima will understand" she thought gathering her belongings. As she exited the guild she saw Tojima waiting for her. "I thought you'd be at home" she said "It will be getting dark soon, I wanted to make sure you made it home safely" he said. She looked up at the nearly dark sky and at the streetlights that had come on awhile ago. "Would you like me to take your bag?" he asked. She smiled at him and nodded. "Sure" she said handing him the bag. He threw it over his shoulder before reaching out his hand to her. "I hear it is customary for couples to hold hands when walking together" he said. She took his hand in hers as the two walked home together. Tojima turned on the light as they entered the house. "Forgive me but it will be a moment before dinner is ready to be served. I must reheat it" he said sitting his mask down and turning on the stove. " I have come to understand something today regarding the idea of going on a date" he said. Annalina took of her coat. She was silent but he knew she was listening. "I know understand that it is a much more simply an idea than I had originally believed it to be, it is not what you do nor is it where you go" he said turning the stove down and pouring the stew into two bowls. "It is simply who you are doing it with, the mutual happiness of both parties who share strong feelings for eachother is what makes a date" he said sitting the bowl down infront of her. She was silent. She always enjoyed when he became like this, curious as to what he might say. Such emotional and profound words spoken in such a monotone voice fascinated her, "As long as I am with you and you are with me it will always be a date" he said. She had been completely absorbed in his words. So much so that she hadn't even touched her food yet. She smiled softly "You seem to have a talent for saying some of the sweetest things without even meaning to" she said. "Is my understanding not satisfactory?" he asked. "It is very satisfactory Tojima" she said. He smiled slightly,happy that he had been able to make her happy. "Then let us continue this date" he said. "Let's indeed" she responded.